Not accessing a WordPress site – whether it’s yours, a clients’, or someone else’s – is incredibly frustrating. However, it’s even more so when you’re faced with a confusing error message such as DNS _PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN.
Fortunately, there’s no need to panic. This is a relatively standard Google Chrome error in Windows, Mac, and Android devices. There are a handful of simple steps you can take to troubleshoot and resolve the issue.
In this post, we’ll explain what the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error message is and some common causes. Then we’ll discuss ten ways you can fix it in Chrome, including step-by-step instructions for Windows 10, Mac, and Android devices. Let’s get started!
What Is DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN?
To understand what ‘DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN’ means, it may help first to break down the error message. The DNS, which is short for Domain Name System, is responsible for translating a domain name into an IP address.
Every website has an IP address that looks something like ‘123.123.12.1′. Rather than remembering and typing in a string of numbers each time you visit a site, you can enter the user-friendly domain name or URL, such as ‘yourdomain.com. ‘
The DNS essentially acts as the internet’s phone book. When you enter a domain name into the browser, it sends a request to the webserver to look up the IP address, then returns the website in a process referred to as DNS name resolution.
Once the browser and web server are connected, you can access the site. However, if something goes wrong in the operation, such as getting interrupted or failing to complete correctly, it results in a DNS-related error message.
Instead of seeing the website you’re trying to visit in its place; you might see an error page displaying DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN. Often, it’s accompanied by a message that says, “This site can’t be reached” or “This site is unavailable.”
This message means that the DNS lookup failed. In this error message, ‘NXDOMAIN’ stands for the non-existent domain.
What Causes the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN Error?
There are many different types of error messages Chrome, and WordPress users might come across. However, when you see a message that contains ‘DNS,’ it usually means that the DNS name resolution was unable to complete correctly.
This error signifies that the DNS couldn’t successfully locate the IP address corresponding to the domain you entered. Of course, this doesn’t necessarily mean the field doesn’t exist, just that something is preventing the DNS from identifying and translating the domain name.
Typically, you can narrow down the cause of an issue with your browser or device settings. In some cases, the problem may be due to something as simple as typing the wrong URL into your browser.
There are also instances when the cause is attributed to a conflict with a third-party tool such as antivirus software or a Virtual Private Network (VPN) installed on your computer. Most commonly, it’s caused by outdated or misconfigured DNS settings.
How to Fix DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN in Chrome (10 Ways)
Many different things can cause DNS error messages and ways to resolve them. Here, we’ll look at ten methods you can use to fix the error in Chrome:
- Check that You Entered the Correct URL
- Restart Your Computer or Device
- Reset the Chrome Flags
- Temporarily Disable Your Antivirus Software or VPN
- Flush Your Chrome Browser Cache
- Flush Your Local DNS Cache
- Release and Renew Your IP Address
- Change DNS Servers
- Restart the DNS Client Service
- Check the Local ‘Hosts’ File
Note: We’ll give a brief explanation and general guidance for each potential solution. However, the instructions for some solutions vary depending on whether you’re using Windows, Mac, or Android. You can find more in-depth guidance for those methods in their respective sections later in this post.
How to Fix DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN in Windows 10
As we mentioned, there are various ways you can fix the DNS error in Chrome, including the ten methods we discussed above. However, in this section, we’ll provide you with solutions specific to setting DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN in Windows. This includes step-by-step instructions for how to:
- Flush the DNS Cache in Windows
- Release and Renew Your IP Address in Windows
- Change the DNS Server in Windows
- Restart the DNS Client Service in Windows
- Check Your Local ‘Hosts’ File in Windows
Wrapping Up
This post discussed ten ways to fix the DNS error in Chrome, whether you’re using a Windows, Mac, or Android machine. Some of the most effective solutions include:
- Flush the DNS Cache.
- Release and renew your IP address.
- Change the DNS servers.
- Restart the DNS client service.
- Check the local ‘hosts’ file.
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